Issue 25, Volume 77 by The Cougar

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Cougars encounter first challenges in conference play UNIVERSITY

Khator to discuss enrollment, goals at Fall Address President Khator will give her annual Fall Address today from 10 a.m. to noon at the Moores Opera House. All students, faculty and staff are welcome. Assistant Director of Freshman Admissions Christian Backstrom said she will most likely highlight the University’s current status in exceeding goals for increased enrollment and raised academic requirements for incoming freshmen. She will also discuss challenges, visions and goals for the upcoming year. — Zahra Ahmed

CAMPUS

Walk in the Dark campus tour to search for security risks The UH Student Government Association, Department of Public Safety, Parking and Transportation services and Plant Operations encourage all students, faculty and staff to attend the 2011 Walk in the Dark. Participants will gather tonight beginning at 8 p.m. at Lynn Eusan Park. The walk consists of a campus twilight tour intended to find poorlylit areas that may pose safety risks. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. with live music, giveaways, interactive activities, food and beverages. The Drug Enforcement Administration will be attending National Night Out in conjunction with this year’s National Prescription Drug Take Back initiative. A DEA agent will be collecting unwanted, unused or expired medications and everyone is encouraged to participate. For more information, contact Ginger Walker at gkwalker@uh.edu or 713-743-0583. — Zahra Ahmed

ADMINISTRATION

University offices announce Assistant Dean of Students DuJuan E. Smith was named assistant dean of students Monday. Smith will be in charge of UH student disciplinary policies and procedures, and will provide support for the UH Conduct Assessment and Response Team. He will also help students with any issues involving their success. Smith previously served as the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs at Moraine Valley Community College and was the student trustee on the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees while he was earning his master’s degree in education. — Cougar News Services

October 4, 2011

Oil companies pillage for profit

Issue 25, Volume 77

ON CAMPUS

Knowles family graces campus Allen Le

THE DAILY COUGAR The UH Friends of Women’s Studies organization recognized Tina Knowles, best known as Beyoncé Knowles’ mother, as part of their 15th annual “The Living Archives” series in the M.D. Anderson Library on Monday. The building synonymous with peaceful studying and reserved students turned into absolute chaos with extra security once word spread that a surprise appearance by Beyoncé herself was here on campus in support of her mother. However, the main attention inside the Rockwell Pavilion was exclusively dedicated and focused on the senior Knowles as she was interviewed by a journalist from the Houston Chronicle and recorded in front of a live audience. “The Living Archives” series, going on throughout the Fall ARCHIVES continues on page 6

Tina and Beyoncé Knowles made a visit to campus on Tuesday, much to the delight of students. The elder Knowles was recorded in an interview for “The Living Archives,” a series sponsored by the Friends of Women’s Studies. | Yvette Dávila/The Daily Cougar

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Cigarettes have uncertain future Senator’s proposal would enforce smoking ban; protestors disagree Joshua Mann

THE DAILY COUGAR Students showed up in force to last Wednesday’s Student Government Association meeting to protest an upcoming bill that will ban smoking on campus. The 31 member group included both smokers and non-smokers. About half of the students asked the senate to block the bill during the time allotted to student speeches. The other half offered support in the form of applause from the back of the room. The bill had not yet been submitted for review by the Senate, said Speaker of the Senate Reyes Ramirez. UH student Michael McHugh argued that that wasn’t a reason for the students to leave the meeting without speaking. “Students who go to this University reserve the right to address their grievances at a public forum,” McHugh said. “Potentially their opinions and their voices can influence what happens in committee before the bill even makes it out.” The students argued smoking was a right

the school shouldn’t take away. “I know it’s a lifestyle choice,” McHugh said. “And it’s a personal choice. I just don’t know why we need to ban smoking. It’s telling some of our students who pay tuition, ‘you can’t do this.’ “I think it’s better to enforce existing code; right now we have people that smoke in the UC, so that isn’t being enforced. If we can’t enforce it in the UC, how can we enforce it everywhere on campus?” According to students, smoking provides a sense of community. Students would end up smoking in the dorms rather than outside in designated areas, and students who are bothered by the smoke should seek out less serious solutions, according to speakers. After they had finished speaking, most of the students left the meeting without waiting to hear the senators’ response. “No matter how much I hate smoking, I respect your right to do it. What’s disappointing to me (is) 90 percent of you will leave thinking that you weren’t heard,” Senator Melanie Pang said later in the meeting. “I just want you to know that we are trying our best to represent you, but just as much as you want your voice to be heard, we want our voices to be heard too.” Engineering Senator Stuhr also encouraged

students to stick around for the meetings. “To the 30 people in the back of the room, thanks for coming and voicing your opinion, but stick around so we can talk back with you,” he said. “There may be other things going on here that concern you.” It may be too early to judge what the constituents think about the bill, though. “I’ve got four weeks to figure that out,” Stuhr said. “You can’t base your vote on the students that show up at a meeting, and you can’t base your vote on what you think personally. “I vote based on what my constituents say; if I don’t have a constituent’s opinion, then I generally abstain from the vote,” he said. The next SGA meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the UC Cougar Den. news@thedailycougar.com

EVENT What: SGA Meeting When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 Where: UC Cougar Den

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

crime log

Have information on these or other incidents of crime on campus? Call 713-743-0600

The following is a partial report of campus crime between Sept. 27 and Sept. 29. All information is selected from the files of the UH Police Department. The information in bold indicates when the event was reported to UHPD and the event’s location. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UHPD at (713) 743-0600.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 4:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. LYNN EUSAN PARK Join the University of Houston Department of Public Safety & Student Government Association for NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

usic Live M ys wa Givea tive Interac s ie Activit

FREE Hot Dog s Popcorn Drinks

AND WALK IN THE DARK

EMPOWERING STUDENTS

Theft – Sept. 27 3:26 p.m. – Campus Recreation and Wellness Center — A student reported that someone stole his gym bag from the men’s locker room at the CRWC. The incident occurred between 3 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. Sept. 27. The case is Active. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle – Sept. 27 5:09 p.m. – Lot 16 D— A student reported that someone burglarized her unattended and secured vehicle in lot 16 D. The student found a cellular phone inside the vehicle that did not belong to her and turned the phone over to UH DPS. The incident occurred between 4:33 a.m. and 5:35 a.m. Sept. 27. The case is Active. Theft – Sept. 28 1:47 p.m. – Cullen Oaks Apartments — A visitor reported that someone stole money from her at Cullen Oaks Apartments. The incident occurred between 12 p.m. and 1:47 p.m. Sept. 28. The case is Active. Criminal mischief: 9:46 p.m. Nov. 6, Parking Lot 1A residents’ area — A student reported an unknown person(s) broke out the rear passenger-side window of his parked vehicle, but no property was missing from the vehicle. Occurred between 8:30 and 9:45 p.m. Harassment – Sept. 28 3:28 p.m. – Science Bldg. — A staff member reported that the father of her child has repeatedly called the department where she used to work leaving messages for her to call him. The staff member wants him to stop calling her at work as the calls have become embarrassing. The incident occurred between 4 p.m. Sept. 14 and 8 a.m. Sept. 28. The case is Inactive. Possession of a Dangerous Weapon – Sept. 28 4:32 p.m. — A UH contractor reported discovering a 9mm handgun while attempting

to open a towed vehicle in the Lot 12 A vehicle impound lot. The handgun was secured at UH Police Department awaiting the owner. The incident occurred at 4:32 p.m. Sept. 28. The case is Cleared by Referral. Theft – Sept. 29 1:01 p.m. – Cougar Village — A student reported that someone stole his cell phone from his dorm room at Cougar Village. The incident occurred between 11:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and 9:30 a.m. Sept. 29. The case is Active. Theft – Sept. 29 1:56 p.m. – Athletic Alumni Bldg. — A visitor was seen walking away from a campus bicycle rack with a bicycle he did not have when he was seen arriving on campus. The bicycle’s owner could not be located and the visitor was issued a Criminal Trespass warning and released. The incident occurred between 1:56 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 29. The case is Cleared by Exception. Theft – Sept. 29 2:27 p.m. – University Center — A visitor reported that someone stole her unattended and unsecured backpack from the UC Games Room. The incident occurred between 2 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. Sept. 29. The case is Inactive. Theft - Sept. 29 5 p.m. – East Parking Garage — A student reported that she was involved in a verbal argument with her boyfriend in the East Parking Garage. The student threw her phone at her boyfriend out of anger and the boyfriend may have sold the phone. The incident occurred between 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sept. 29.

For the complete report and to view past reports, go to thedailycougar. com/crime

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://thedailycougar.com. The University seeks to provide equal educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status, or sexual orientation. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. the first copy of the Cougar is free; each additional copy is 25 cents. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. NEWS TIPS Send news tips and story ideas to the News Desk. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@ thedailycougar.com or fax (713) 743-5384. A “Submit news item” form is also available online at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the written consent of the director of the Student Publications Department.

LIFE+ARTS

The Daily Cougar

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

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HOROSCOPES

playlist »

Moon, Capricorn escalate work potential

Songs for good weather

inally, our first Autumn cool front — or at least a break from the unforgiving Texas sun. I’m sure we can all heave a collective sigh of relief at the idea of being able to spend more than five minutes outside without breaking a sweat. Indeed, the beautiful weather has inspired quite a few Cougars to come out from their indoor caves to experience clear skies, a rolling breeze and the low humidity that’s all too rare in this part of the country. Here are 10 songs to jam whilst enjoying the weather that will be gone before you know it. — Mary Baak Australia The Shins

The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song The Flaming Lips

Come Around Sundown Kings of Leon

Walcott Vampire Weekend

Kites Geographer

Sunlight Tune-Yards

Aeroplane Over the Sea Neutral Milk Hotel

Morning Light Girls

American West Sun Airway

Here Comes the Sun The Beatles

Sarah Nielsen

THE DAILY COUGAR Libra: You have the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn in your sign this week. Holy cow, Batman. You might come across a lesson in love, or perhaps you should be careful with your words. In any case, enjoy everything within reason. Scorpio: Your ruling planet is still chasing his springtime through Capricorn; he’ll get to there soon enough. In the meantime, do some soul-searching yourself. Set forth into what you see yourself as and you’ll get there with the help of those who love you and believe in you. Sagittarius: Your ruling sign is still at work in Taurus, and this is a good opportunity to really get to work on the things that will take a lot of time and effort but which may reward you richly on the physical plane, or your bank account. Capricorn: The moon is in your sun sign this week. Perhaps take the opportunity to spend some time with a female family member, or a good friend who’s emotional and considerate if you feel the need to come down from your mountain hermitage. Aquarius: Neptune is happily stomping across your astrological sign and

wreaking some havoc. If you’re where you ought to be, this can be an amazing time for opportunities outside of your day-today. This can also be a call for needed changes. Pisces: Chiron, the asteroid of past-life memories and emotional obstacles

in this life, will continue to transit your sign for a good time to come. Keep your good friends close now, and seek their assistance if things are a little much to deal with. Aries: With Uranus halfway through CAPRICORN continues on page 6

INTERFAITH DIALOGUE LUNCH EACH WEDNESDAY IN OCTOBER AT NOON 2ND FLOOR ATRIUM OF THE A.D. BRUCE RELIGION CENTER EXPERIENCE THE AMAZING SPIRITUAL DIVERSITY OF OUR U.H. COMMUNITY.

RECREPORT

DEPARTMENT OF CAMPUS RECREATION SPOTLIGHT

BE A GYM GENTLEMAN – OR GENTLE LADY G

ood manners aren’t just for family dinners at the dining room table or meeting a girlfriend or boyfriend’s parents for the first time- they are good practice in the gym too! Even in the Fitness Zone, we all know Susie Sits-a-lot who hangs out on the leg-press machine for five minutes in between sets or Mr. Mike Muscles who tries to lift so much weight, the ground shudders on his last rep as the weight-plates slam together. The Fitness Zone is a communal meeting ground where fitness and exercise enthusiasts alike can gather to “chew the fat” – and burn it as well. So here are a few tips to keep you in good regards with both the gym staff and those working out around you. “Clean up, Clean up, Everybody Clean Up!” - There’s nothing worse than having to take a hiatus on your fitness routine because you tripped over a dumbbell or weight-plate that wasn’t put back properly. If you use a piece of equipment, please put it back in it’s proper home, including re-stacking your weights. - When you’re done using a piece of equipment, take the extra minute to wipe it down with the sanitation wipes provided for you at various locations around the floor. “We’ll Work it Out” - Don’t be stingy – allow others to work in on your piece of equipment between sets- especially during peak hours! You never know, you may even make a new friend.

“The Big Bang Theory” - A lot of us want to be the strongest guy or girl in the gym, but letting your weights slam on your last set isn’t the way to send the message for all to hear. Not only does it wear (and possibly break) the equipment, it opens the opportunity for injury of yourself or others. “The Golden Rule” - Bring a positive attitude and friendly demeanor into the Fitness Zone. We all have bad days when the only fix is a good sweat session. Well, sweat it out and then put a smile on. Arguing over who had a piece of equipment first is going to put you right back where you started. We’re glad you’re putting your facility – and particularly the weight floor - to good use. Implementing these tips next time you’re pumpin’ iron will not only please the hard-working staff but will make for a better Fitness Zone environment overall!

The Rec Report is a paid advertising section for the Department of Campus Recreation.

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

EDITOR Daniel Renfrow E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion

THE DAILY COUGAR

Oil company flare stacks are wasteful, pollute the environment

EDITORIAL BOARD

Crude methods

EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS SPORTS EDITOR LIFE

& ARTS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Jack Wehman John Brannen Taylor McGilvray, Julian Jimenez Joshua Siegel Mary Baak Daniel Renfrow Natasha Faircloth

STAFF EDITORIAL

Amanda Knox case shows media misogyny

ustice has finally come to Perugia, Italy. After spending four years in an Italian prison for a crime she did not commit, Amanda Knox has finally had her murder conviction overturned. One of the most startling things about Knox’s case is the media coverage it was able to generate throughout the US and abroad. Knox should be thankful, because it allowed her case to remain in the spotlight and partially contributed to her retrial. However, the same media that is now claiming partial responsibility for her release is also the same media that contributed to her conviction. When the story of Knox’s case was first broken, Knox was commonly portrayed as a witch and a she-devil in the Italian media. The Italian prosecution did its best to make sure this image of Knox was constantly reinforced. Knox was, in a way, convicted because of this image. This says something about the position of women in Italy, and how they are portrayed in the Italian media. Italy is often characterized as being a misogynistic country, and that characterization is not far from the truth. According to The New York Times, “only 46 percent of Italian women work, in contrast to an average 59 percent in the rest of the Europe Union.” And, according to an article in The Florentine, a bi-weekly Italian publication, only 7 percent of managerial positions in Italy are occupied by women. Italy also has an openly misogynistic Prime Minister in Silvio Berlusconi, who allegedly has his hands, not only in the pants of underage Italian women, but also in the Italian media. Berlusconi is a media conglomerate who owns three of the seven Italian national TV channels. Having someone with such an open hatred of women in control of such a large amount of content means that sexism will, inevitably, take root. If the Knox trial had happened in the US, she would have never received a guilty verdict. The US media is far from equal in its portrayal of women, but when you compare the US media to Italy’s media, women here seem to be portrayed in a more just light.

E D I TO R I A L P O L I C I E S STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

hile grasslands and forests continue to burn across Texas, flames of a more nefarious sort are deliberately marring the state’s landscape and poisoning its air. In acts of environmental mismanagement, the oil industry is routinely burning the natural gas that often accompanies the liquid crude oil in drilled wells. Commonly known as flaring, this egregiously wasteful practice Marc is implemented as a Anderson cost-saving measure. Oil companies claim that current low prices simply make capturing and processing natural gas uneconomical. They reason that if they cannot make a profit in the market, they may as well just skip the consumer and pump their pollution directly into the atmosphere. Flare stacks were once used primarily as safety valves to prevent pressure blowouts and occasionally for testing the production capabilities of a well. The convenience of loose regulatory laws allowed them to become the standard device for waste management with hardly an objection from state and federal governments. The flares consume 100 million cubic feet of natural gas every day from sites all over the nation. Here in Texas, somewhere between several hundred and a few thousand oil well sites dispose of gas in this fashion, with the exact number remaining obfuscated and openly contested by the industry. Unquestionably, the number of locations will increase, considering that in the last year over 537 flaring permits were issued by the state in anticipation of

successfully drilled wells. As appalling as flaring may seem, the oil industry also employs an even more destructive method for disposing of unwanted natural gas; it vents it openly into the air. As with flaring, venting natural gas lacks even the partially redeeming

Flare stacks were once used primarily as safety valves to prevent pressure blowouts and occasionally for testing the production capabilities of a well. The convenience of loose regulatory laws allowed for them to become the standard device for waste management with hardly an objection from state and federal governments.” benefits of actually putting the fuel to use. With a heat trapping effect 20 times that of carbon dioxide, natural gas is capable of expediting climate change faster than most of the emissions from automobiles and power plants. Again, from the industry’s perspective, costs associated with natural gas production are prohibitive to its storage and shipment. However, other avenues exist for managing this resource other than throwing it away. During the process of oil extraction, the accompanying gas can be captured on-site and immediately injected back into the well. This procedure actually facilitates oil

recovery by maintaining an upward pressure that directs the liquid to the surface. At the same time, oil companies would be creating gas repositories that could be tapped into should demand increase. Another option is to use some of the gas to fuel local generators that power the drilling machinery and infrastructure at the well-site. A long-term approach of promoting compressed natural gas as an alternative to gasoline and the closing of antiquated coal-fired power plants will help spur market-driven demand. With these financial incentives, the oil industry will be much more inclined to invest in the necessary components for the storage, shipping and selling of natural gas. For now, the alternatives to flaring and venting will go unimplemented as long as drilling regulations remain subservient to the oil industry. Last Thursday in Arlington, the Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing to discuss proposed rules aimed at curtailing environmentally harmful practices, but the wheels of the federal government turn slowly. The Texas legislature can act more quickly and implement laws that make managing natural gas part of the cost of doing business for oil companies. While the industry may initially protest, the profit motive will ultimately mandate their compliance if only to ensure continued access to some of the largest oilfields in the country. After all, the last thing that Texas needs is more fires. Marc Anderson is a 3rd-year cell biology Ph.D. student and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

Artistic renaissance needed at colleges

ovies aren’t what they used to may leave you pleasantly surprised, but retained in the long run makes a student’s be. But then again, neither is the the fact that one should have to strain input invaluable. mainstream music scene. And it themselves to find quality material ought And so we become our biggest would be a stretch to say that contempoto serve as a red flag in and of itself. enemies. rary literature hasn’t taken a recent dive People aren’t naturally wired to prefer It’s hard to be taken seriously in our as well. the same thing on the national scale, spoken contempt for reality television, In the past few years, which is what the current mainstream arts predetermined auto-tune synths, and the evidence regarding the scene is trying to get them to do. However, n-teenth sequel to horror films, when we, decline in innovation it is possible to find a large-scale consentheir critics, are their primary source of among Americans has sus as to what is garbage. As University income. mounted uncomfortstudents, we should work to ensure this In our society, money speaks louder than Bryan ably upon the nation’s garbage gets taken out. any intrinsic interest in the humanities, Washington populaand this has to be taken into tion. It’s account if we decide to ward Although it’s easy to cast off the symptoms of no coincidence that the ongoing artistic decay. resurgence, with cyclical creativity seen as something off country was at its most Likewise, should our efforts to be fixed tomorrow or the day after, the problem will result in even the tiniest progressive stages, both scientifically and intelsmudge of progress, we can’t continue to expand until we approach it directly.” lectually, when the arts take it as a sign to anchor provided their fair share of challenges to As college degrees become greater the ship. the public. variables in landing a successful career, One way or another, if we hope to return Although it’s easy to cast off the sympthe people you see on campus any given to the innovation we once exemplified in all toms of resurgence, with cyclical creativity day of the week will account for a hefty fields, a disassembly of the current system seen as something to be fixed tomorrow portion of the future working majority. may just have to happen. There would or the day after, the problem will continue The habits we establish here are the pracnot be immediate relief, but if a mutual to expand until we approach it directly. tices we will carry over into the workplace, agreement could be made about what we As it turns out, the problem isn’t the home and, in this case, numerous will and won’t tolerate in the collective about substance so much as it is about artistic spheres in society. The less attracconsciousness, the movie theaters and radio standards. tive nuances will do the same. Simply put, stations of the nation just might end up The recycled chord progressions, plot we’re one big interconnected network. being habitable again. structures and catchphrases are largely As Americans, we’re subject to over the result of what the American public has 3000 images a day, and whatever sticks Bryan Washington is a sociology freshman and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. decided fits the bill. Worthwhile producstays with us for some time. Coincicom. tions are out there, and seeking them out dentally, our ability to influence what’s

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Daily Cougar

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EDITOR Joshua Siegel E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports

VOLLEYBALL

Weekend road trip eats up Cougars Inconsistency plauges UH in C-USA matches Senior Giorgia Pozzan opened the fall season with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 victory over San Diego’s Anna Depenau to claim the black draw title. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar

TENNIS Q&A

Senior starts fall season strong Joshua Siegel

THE DAILY COUGAR On Sunday, senior Giorgia Pozzan claimed the singles title for her draw at the SDSU Fall Classic. The Daily Cougar caught up with the native Italian to ask her about her victory and how she is enjoying her second season at UH after transferring from Sam Houston.

Q: You opened your season with a big win, what was that final match like? A: I was kind of nervous and it was my first tournament of the fall. I was definitely nervous, but excited.

Q: How often do you go back to visit Italy?

A: I go back twice a year, usually for Christmas, and a month and a half in the summer. It’s funny because when I come here I bring my Italian identity. Sometimes I do some things Americans wouldn’t do.

Q: What are some of those things?

A: When it comes to food, Americans usually dip all of their food and we don’t. The other day, my friends were telling me about dipping their pizza into ranch and it’s a crime. I still get shocked when I hear these things.

Q: What have you enjoyed about playing at UH?

A: I like being in a big city, because at Sam Houston we didn’t have anything except a prison around it. Usually I love living in a big town because it’s more similar to what I’m used to in Italy. Also, I like the atmosphere here, especially with the athletes. Because when I go to meals with the athletes, even today a lot of the athletes came up and said congratulations — things that would never happen in Huntsville. sports@thedailycougar.com

Ricardo Rivera

THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars traveled to Tulsa, Okla., riding the momentum of a five-game winning streak and tied for the top record in Conference USA. That momentum hit a roadblock Friday, as UH (10-5, 3-2 C-USA) fell in straight sets to Tulsa (20-25, 14-25, 23-25) and again to SMU (28-26, 25-27, 25-12, 21-25, 12-15) Sunday. “I actually think we played some great volleyball at times,” head coach Molly Alvey said. “Against Tulsa we really hung tough the first set. In the second we were kind of shell-shocked I think, but came back strong in the third. “But what it really comes down to is making plays at the end. This team is still learning how to win — not just some of the time, but consistently.” UH battled the Golden Hurricane (13-4, 4-0) point-for-point in the first set of Friday’s contest, pushing the Tulsa offense to a 15-15 tie. Led by middle blocker Lucy Charuk, the Cougar front line held together through repeated attempts by Tulsa’s hitters to stretch the lead.

In their first two Conference USA losses of the season, the Cougars hit .114 against and .274 against SMU. Senior Lucy Charuk led the Cougars in kills for both matches with totals of 10 and 17. | Courtesy of The Collegian The Golden Hurricane finally pushed through at 16-16, as they regrouped to reel off four unanswered points. After fending off a small late surge by UH, Tulsa ultimately took the first set 20-25 on the play of outside hitter Diana Silva. “Lucy really came out to play, and did a great job keeping us in it,” Alvey said. “But I think we’re still looking for someone to step up for us on a consistent basis. That means you can’t hit .800 one match and then .150 the next. It’s about consistency.” After matching Tulsa’s intensity throughout the hotly-contested first set, the Cougars fell behind early in the second, allowing Tulsa’s hitters to score at will. With a quick burst, Silva and the Golden Hurricane offense raced to a 5-16 lead and did not look back, closing the set out at 25-13. Down two sets, UH managed

a strong effort in the third set, but could not overcome the surging Tulsa frontline. The Cougars would drop the set 23-25, marking the first time UH has been swept since Sept. 2 by Dayton. Charuk finished the match with a team-high 10 kills. On a quick turnaround, UH stopped in Dallas Sunday for a matinee showdown against reeling SMU (5-11, 1-3 C-USA). The Cougars rushed out to a 4-1 lead, as juniors Katie Norris and Stephanie Nwachukwu came alive after Friday’s defeat. After briefly fending off an SMU run, UH took a firm grasp on the set, eventually closing it out at 28-26. SMU, however, had no intention of being dismissed quietly. After regrouping from the first set, the Mustangs forced Houston to a 13-13 tie in the second. As in many of UH’s past losses, offensive errors plagued the Cougars

throughout the second set. With the match deadlocked at 25-25, two key hitting errors handed the Mustangs the second set. “Deflating losses are just that, they’re deflating,” Alvey said. “We played solid volleyball for a lot of the match, but we can’t get over the hump when we’re not making plays at the end of sets.” After trading sets three and four, UH was forced into a fifth set for only the third time this season. Though holding claim to a comfortable 2-0 record in five set contests, the Cougars came out tight to start the fifth against the Mustangs. Houston came alive briefly to tie the set at 8-8 and force an SMU timeout, but the Mustang hitters caught fire out of the break to score five unanswered points. The Cougars would drop the set, 15-12, and the match. sports@thedailycougar.com

SOCCER

Golden Hurricane, Mustangs deny UH UH falls to eighth place in Conference USA Joachim Clarke

THE DAILY COUGAR The road woes continued for UH, as it dropped both of its weekend matches by one-goal margins. The Cougars (4-8-0, 1-3-0 Conference USA) lost an overtime decision 2-1 to Tulsa (7-4-2, 1-2-1) Friday, and followed that with a 1-0 loss to SMU on Sunday in Dallas. After a scoreless first half, UH fell behind in the second half when Tulsa sophomore Tori Peters beat sophomore goalkeeper Cami Koski in the 71st minute to score the opening goal. A resilient UH squad answered back when sophomore midfielder Kylie Cook found Sharis Lachappelle streaking up the middle. The freshman drilled a shot from 25 yards out that found the back of the net to tie the score 1-1 and sent the game into overtime.

Tulsa’s Claire Nicholson scored the game-winning goal in the 95th minute to seal the victory for the Golden Hurricane. Head coach Susan Bush said she thought that Tulsa set the tone of a physical battle. “Every match from here on out is going to be exactly like this,” Bush said. “Physical, back-and-forth, teams just grinding it out.” The Mustangs (7-5-0, 3-1-0) scored early in the first half when Kenzie Scovill beat Koski in the 19th minute to give SMU the lead. The Cougars locked down on defense after the initial score, allowing only three shots on goal in the second half, but were limited to only two shots on goal themselves during the entire game. Falling behind early has been the Achilles heel of a Cougar squad that has yet to come from behind to win a match this season. sports@thedailycougar.com

After two losses this weekend by one goal each, sophomore Fabi Cirino and the Cougars have now lost six matches by one-goal margins this season. | Aaron Cisneros/The Daily Cougar

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

LIFE+ARTS

FACULTY

First tenured Latina in Texas honored Recognition adds to law school faculty member’s extended list of accomplishments at UH Erica Quiroz

THE DAILY COUGAR UH Law Professor Sandra Guerra Thompson plans to use her recognition by the Hispanic National Bar Association as the first Latina tenured law professor in Texas to encourage the continued hiring of Latino faculty by the University. Thompson was honored earlier this month at the annual HNBA convention, which strives to recognize Latinos who contribute to the Hispanic community and legal profession, in the company of other legal professionals in Dallas. “It was actually a shock, and I didn’t realize until the HNBA started digging around that I was the first,” Thompson said. “It’s an honor, but at the same time it’s a little disconcerting, because where are the people who are supposed to be my predecessors? And where are the followers?” The lack of Latino faculty members is an issue Thompson is actively working on with the UH Administration. “I’ve always wanted to see more hiring, and I’ve urged it here at the

CAPRICORN continued from page 3

your sun sign, there’s still some time to go before these hectic switch-pitches the universe keeps throwing at you. Keep your head up, and make sure you have enough rest this week.

law school,” Thompson said. “If anything (the recognition) puts more of a responsibility on those of us who are here to do a better job.” The acknowledgement of Thompson from the is just one of the many accomplishments she has had since joining UH. Most recently Thompson coedited “American Justice in the Age of Innocence” with the help of two UH Law students. The book is a series of research papers that explore how to prevent wrongful convictions and the situational factors that can lead to them. Thompson has been writing about this area of the law for the last five years. The concept for the book started out as a project with her seminar students while she was serving on the Timothy Cole Advisory Panel for Wrongful Convictions. The advisory panel was named after Timothy Cole, the first Texan to be posthumously exonerated of a crime through DNA testing. Created by the Texas Legislature, the advisory panel’s goal is to study the causes of wrongful convictions and to develop procedures to help reduce the number of them that occur. “I started to realize that the Texas Legislature would probably benefit from having a resource that would be focused on Texas law pertaining

Taurus: With your ruling sign in Libra, where the Sun is also residing at the moment, things are looking swell in the romantic arena this week. Watch out for, over-expenditures, and general epicurean fascinations. Gemini: Your ruling planet is trine your

Thompson has taught at UH since 1990 and achieved tenure in 1996. The Hispanic National Bar Convention is in its 36th year. | Jessica Faz/Law Center Communications to those issues,” Thompson said. “There are much more effective ways for the police to handle certain kinds of evidence that can make it more reliable.” Thompson also contributed to the development of a new policy on eyewitness identification procedures making Texas the fifth state to use such policies in order to reduce wrongful convictions. If approved, the policy will go into effect in January 2012. news@thedailycougar.com

sun sign right now, and that’s a good thing. Spend some time with a Libra whose birthday is this week, tell some of your best jokes, and you’ll find balance between all of your juggling acts. Cancer: Your ruling planet, the Moon is opposite your sun sign right now. As such, perhaps you should look

The Daily Cougar

ARCHIVES continued from page 1

semester, celebrates women who have achieved successful careers and have contributed to the history of Texas women. Tina Knowles was there as an honoree acknowledged for her role as an influential woman within the state as well as the Houston area. Along with her famous daughter, Tina Knowles also had several other family members present in the audience to support her. The fortunate members within the limited audience were exposed to more than just a woman who often appears as an assistant to Beyoncé at award shows and red carpet affairs. The interview started off with Knowles giving insight into her upbringing in Galveston as well as her childhood in a household full of siblings. “Growing up in Galveston was really great. I was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters and my sister had eight children. My house was opened to all the kids and it was just very fun up there,” Knowles said. The soon-to-be-grandmotherof-two also expressed that as a child, she never felt as if her family was poor. “My fondest memory of my mom was just that she could take nothing and improve it into something. We didn’t have any money, but she made way,” Knowles said as she briefly became emotional. Today, Knowles runs the House of

into the taciturn and hard-working Capricorn’s world and take a few examples from his book when you need guidance. Leo: Mars is happily waging war in your sign right now, and proud to do it, to boot. If you feel like the warrior this week, take your opponent to the duel. Remember not to

Deréon fashion brand that she developed with her daughter Beyoncé and also includes the sister lines Deréon and Deréon Girls. “I never dreamed that I would get to be doing the things that I’m doing today. It’s just amazing. I always knew that I wanted to make women feel beautiful.” The businesswoman also advised against the preconceived glamorous thoughts of working in the entertainment industry. “Sometimes I’m sitting in a room with ten suits and I’m the only woman there, and it gets tough because it is a challenge to get the respect from the people that you deal with sometimes,” said Knowles. “It’s very challenging, but I just keep fighting and being positive and try to stay on my game.” During the interview, Knowles’ philanthropic efforts were also addressed. She runs a total of four foundations, including the KnowlesTemenos Place Apartments, a low-rent 43-room temporary shelter and housing complex right here in Houston. Knowles also offered her advice for young students who are just beginning their collegiate career. “Stay focused. Surround yourself with positive people,” she said. “Look at the positive side. Do internships. “It’s not always about the money; it should be about passion. Don’t give up. You need to be able to do something you love.” arts@thedailycougar.com

let pride in your success overcome your gratitude. Virgo: Mercury is in your neighboring sign Libra this week. Perhaps you should get out of the box a little bit. Whatever your box is, leave it behind for a moment. arts@thedailycougar.com

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COMICS & MORE

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

COMICS

CROSSWORD

The Fishbowl by Thomas Hernandez

ACROSS 1 Jumbo planes 5 Monastery dweller 10 Phi -- Kappa 14 Brownish tint 15 Cliffside abode 16 Burnoose wearer 17 Upstream spawner 18 Motel staffers 19 Bus alternative 20 Kids’ emporiums (2 wds.) 22 Harmless reptile 24 Unlucky gambler’s note 25 Skin opening 26 Under-the-wiper ads 29 Wild felines 33 Ferret out 34 Joan Baez genre 36 Slice 37 Kenya’s loc. 38 Bursts of laughter 39 Cable network 40 Geog. feature 41 Habits 42 Dove or pigeon 44 Attempted 47 False front 48 Memorable first 49 Cast a vote 50 Takes it all off 53 Suggested 58 Easy win 59 “Das Boot” craft (hyph.) 61 Elegant spread 62 Turner or Brown 63 Grazing land 64 Humerus neighbor 65 Lagers 66 Concluded 67 Black hole, once

Chili Fingers by Nam Nguyen

SUDOKU How to play

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Previous puzzle solved

8 9 10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 34 35 38 42 43

Assist Updates inventory Petroleum drum Latin 101 verb Comet feature Experienced Rhino’s defense “Where Eagles Dare” actress Surveys Circus-hoop hazard Some boxing jabs Tall tales Sorenstam rival Floated downriver Cache Vendettas Mare’s morsel Stress Yokums’ creator Tentacle

possessor Stiff-coated dogs Pet shop sound Paid the bill Sp. miss Work like a dog Viking letter Tadpole’s place Storm Ice melter Still-active volcano 57 Precious 60 Keep off the air 45 46 47 50 51 52 53 54 55 56

Previous puzzle solved

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

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